Headsets, headphones and in-ear hearing aids are available in a wide variety of styles and configurations, reflecting different engineering choices for addressing the multitude of design constraints that must be satisfied to create a functional, reliable, comfortable and attractive product. For example, binaural headphones with over-the-head or behind-the-neck tensioning bands may clamp in place securely, but the bands may interfere with articles of clothing. Similarly, the wires of wired headphones may tangle or catch on the user's surroundings, pulling the headphones off (or out).
One popular headphone style is the “earbud,” a small audio transducer (or pair of transducers) sized and shaped to rest in (and/or just outside) the user's outer ear canal. However, many people cannot wear earbuds: their ears are not shaped to hold them securely, or movement of their ears during conversation or other activities tends to cause the earbuds to fall out.
Many in-ear hearing aids are worn similarly to earbuds, but because such aids are often more important to their wearer's everyday life activities (vs. merely providing entertainment—music—or hands-free capabilities for a phone conversation) the hearing aids may be custom-molded to fit their wearer's ears, and may also extend further into the ear canal to provide a more secure attachment. This custom aspect tends to increase the cost of such headsets, placing them out of reach for casual use. (Inexpertly-molded headsets may also be uncomfortable for long-term wear.)
A new headset configuration that provides secure attachment and comfort during extended wear, without requiring expensive individual customization, may be of significant value in this field.